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02/12/2005 06:19:25 PM · #1 |
Hello. Two things that I am very curious about is how one takes the really dark photos and the really light
A good example of a dark photo is:
A good example of a really light photo is:
Both of the above images are good examples of what I am having difficulty with.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Ben |
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02/12/2005 06:59:39 PM · #2 |
| Yeah that's a good question. I'd like to know how they did it so well also. If I took a guess at both I would say that the most important part of each of these photos was the color backround used. For the dark I would not be surprised if a weaker bulb was used instead of a strobe. For the bright one maybe a slightly off front light which was powerful to push the exp. past normal. |
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02/12/2005 07:11:27 PM · #3 |
I think I have accomplished a post-process version of the light one...Not as good as it could be though it was my first attempt
Original:
And after getting in photoshop and adjustment>Curves
But this is still not how I believe it really should be done. I want to know the best way to do it with the camera! =) |
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02/12/2005 07:18:45 PM · #4 |
I dont do those light photos, but for dark ones, use selective lighting. Light what you want and nothing else. Meter off of what you want lit. 
This was the light I used for it. 
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02/12/2005 07:21:05 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by hsteg:
This was the light I used for it. |
You weren't worried about the paper overheating or anything? I know the couple of clip lights I have get really hot. |
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02/12/2005 07:31:53 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by NathanW:
Originally posted by hsteg:
This was the light I used for it. |
You weren't worried about the paper overheating or anything? I know the couple of clip lights I have get really hot. |
I had to turn it off every few shots to let it cool down, and wait and wait and wait, then go back to shooting. lol
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02/12/2005 07:43:09 PM · #7 |
The light ones are generally called high key. To do it, get a light background. You should supply some light to the background to keep it light. Have your model wear light clothes, and light them with lots of soft light. They should be a few feet from the background to avoid shadows on the background. The dark ones are low key. Use a black background. Keep as little light as you can hitting it. Have your model dress in dark clothes. Directional lighting is nice, or lighting part of your model.
Good luck. |
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02/12/2005 07:51:28 PM · #8 |
For my photo, I took it against a large sheet of white poster-board, using ambient room lighting, and a flash bounced off the ceiling. Then, using only levels and the Channel Mixer (to turn it to monochrome), achieved the "High Key" look.
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02/12/2005 07:53:32 PM · #9 |
The terms for these are high key for the 'bright' images and low key for the 'dark' images. One very important point that i find often overlooked is that a high key image does not have to be blown out (although it can be in selective areas) and a low key image does not have to be underexposed (although, again, it can be in some areas).
In Heiða's photo there are areas that are nearly white (although very few), but the focus of the image (her neckline and shoulders) are well exposed for the heavy shadows. The histogram is mostly to the left, so it is a low key image.
while Glen's image is a bit bright in a couple of areas; the main focus (always the eyes in a portrait, IMO) are well exposed as are much of the facial features. The histogram is mostly to the right, making it a high key image.
As for making them, the background is an important part of the image. For a white background, shine a light at the background (or through it) to take it a stop or so above the exposure of the subject for a high key image. Conversely, keeping light from spilling onto the background (either by using barn doors, placing the background far away, etc.) to keep it a stop or so below the exposure of the subject will help in a low key image.
The exposure of the subject also needs to be taken into consideration. The default exposure of light meters is middle grey, but by placing the details of the image at a higher or a lower shade of grey (general tone, even if dealing with color images) the image is still exposed properly, just brighter or darker as taste requres. See this introduction to Adam's zone system for a more detailed discussion of placing the exposure where you want instead of where the camera puts it by default. (link)
That about covers the basics, but there are as many different styles of high and low key images as there are photographers making them (and just about as many definitions, as well). Some will use extreme over or under exposure to bring more attention to the portion that is exposed to retain detail, while others will maintain detail throughout. Experiment and see what you like.
If you look at the histogram of the image you started with (above) you will see the exposure forms a nearly perfect bell curve right in the middle fo the graph. This is what the default exposure of the metering in a camera will do. If you then move your mouse around the image, while looking at the 'Info' window in PS, you will see the background is primarily either right at middle grey or slightly darker. Trying to push this exposure to the right of the histogram resulted in the loss of the detail of your subject.
Moving the exposure compensation to plus one stop or so and place her on a whiter (or at least brighter) background will help a lot.
David
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02/12/2005 08:07:19 PM · #10 |
| Thank you everyone for all your useful comments! |
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